I'm a passionate health advocate who wholeheartedly believes we can all be thriving (not just surviving) if we choose to be. Each post will be about health, in a fashion, and from varying perspectives! Enjoy! I'd love to hear what you think of the blog! Or any suggestions you might like to see included – hit me with those too! You can reach me at info@wellnessassist.com.au

Month: March 2017

Relying on motivation is equivalent to having to connect the battery leads on your car each day, instead of just turning the key in the ignition to start the engine. Turning the key to start your car is an act you undertake when you want to start your car each day, isn’t it? It’s logical and automated, and you do it without much thought. (Psst, this is how habits ‘are’ in a sustainably healthy life)

To be honest, I wouldn’t be sure HOW to connect the battery each day and to be more honest, I couldn’t be bothered? Could you?

Ok, I know some people would choose to do it for awhile, but could you keep doing it every day, knowing you needed to do it everyday to get anywhere??

Motivation usually comes in short bursts too – because change is desired. Habits, on the other hand are a commitment to who you are growing to be.

You get in your car because you know why and where you are going. Similarly, if your habits support your values, goals and your ‘why’, you will do them with ease. What you do everyday matters!

Do you really think you would or could connect the leads before you leave home each day, forever? As if it isn’t enough of a struggle to get to work on time, without having to think about which leads go on which battery terminal???

Does that make sense? If we can make sustainably healthy habits something we do automatically without a thought, we have more time to focus on nurturing and choosing our marvellous life!

A little deep I know – but I thought it was an excellent comparison to highlight that what we do everyday matters!

Good health information can guide habits that change lives.

I ask you to try it!

Try starting a new positive habit – do it for a week to start with, if you love it, try committing to it for a month. Review it after a month and see what’s different? Or if you would go back to not having it in your life.

Plan, do, review and change according to findings – know sustainable good health is a process! Make the process a habit, and it will go a long way to helping you choose a marvellous life!

Since the live session on rituals and habits – I’ve been doing some research in my circle, aka discussing with friends, that the importance of rituals is, indeed true, in their lives too. If you missed it, you can see the live session at https://www.facebook.com/wellnessassist/

Our habits have such a huge effect on the way we perceive things. From the field, here is another example:

Meet Sharon* – Sharon chooses to go to bed and leave the dishes there from the day – instead of just sucking it up and getting it done…Sharon leaves them until the next day, doesn’t seem like a big deal. Sharon walks past them until lunchtime, or later when she feels annoyed enough by them, that she finally does them. If Sharon had done them the previous night, there would have been no energy spent being annoyed by them and no impact on her next day. You see?

Ok, no more examples, just action! Yes, action is crucial to choosing a marvellous life!!

Also, I cannot believe I did the whole live session about Rituals and Habits and didn’t mention ‘The Slight Edge’. This is a marvellous book by Jeff Olson, that I think really highlighted to me that making good choices has such cumulative positive effects. Similarly, consistently making not so wise choices can have the reverse effect. I did know this, but the book puts it so simply! I challenge you to read it this month if you can get your hands on a copy!

And obviously, if we are to choose a marvellous life, our next action is to take a look at our own habits and work out if they are helpful or not. It IS more complex than this, but this will help you make a start!

Ask yourself:

Is this of value to me?

If it is – great, keep doing it. If it isn’t, look for an alternative positive habit to take its place, and take the necessary actions to replace it!

Be sure to start small, be kind to yourself, celebrate wins and keep going!!

The good news is that it is never to late to change a habit, you just have to make the change and then stick to it…consistently…I feel like ‘consistent’ is going to be the word of this month!

Again, just like the goals, you need to be connected to your new habits – make them yours and make them count!